About the district

The municipality of San Fernando (full name, San Fernando de la Buena
Vista; 151,131 inhabitants in 2001, 68,806 in the town of San Fernando
proper; 163.6 sq. km) is located 30 km north of Buenos Aires City. A part
of the municipality is made of the islands of the Paraná delta.

The first settlement emerged in 1802 when father San Ginés built a
chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Aránzazu (Basque Country, Spain),
expecting a borough to develop in the neighborhood, deemed flood-free.
The place was then known as the Altos de Punta Gorda (Heights of the
Tough Point). In 1805, the Puerto de las Conchas (Port of the Shells)
village was completely floided and its inhabitants moved up to the
heights.

The settlement was granted the title of "villa", already granted only
to Buenos Aires and Luján, by Rafael Sobremonte (1745-1827), Viceroy
of the Río de la Plata (1804-1807). Sobremonte named the new town San
Fernando de la Buena Vista as a tribute to Kings Ferdinand VII and
Ferdinand III the Saint.

In 1821, San Fernando was made a new municipality, seceding from Las
Conchas. The rank of "ciudad" was granted to the town in 1909.
Often nicknamed Buenos Aires' port-town, San Fernando was proclaimed
on 27 October 1972 "National Capital of Watersports" by Decree No. 109
of the Secretary of Tourism.

Description of the flag

The flag of San Fernando, selected among 53 proposals submitted in a
public contest, was unveiled on 18 December 2005 during the
celebrations of the bicentenary of the town.

Designed by San Fernando-born Leandro Parra, then aged 21, the flag is
horizontally divided blue-green, the colours representing the
municipal territory. The emblem placed in the middle of the flag is
made of a tree standing on a green meadow (here the lower stripe of
the flag), watered by four white waves with a blue sailing boat, in
the background a white urban skyline. The emblem seems to be a
"modernization" of the municipal coat of arms, adopted on 19 March
1938 by Municipal Decree No. 629, and still valid and used in the
municipality.

The tree is an ombú (_Phytolacca dioica_ L.), characteristic of the
pampas and a main symbol of the Gaucho culture. Viceroy Sobremonte is
said to have rested under an ombú and watched the river, saying "Nice
view!", in Spanish, "Buena Vista", therefore the name given to the
town. Sobremonte's ombú is said to be located in the El Ombú cottage,
today housing the Culture Directorate of the municipality, and
proclaimed on 12 November 1970 a National Historical Place by Decree
No. 2284/70. The ombú is the main element of the municipal arms.
The skyline represents the recent growth of the town, including
characteristic buildings, such as the Our Lady of Aránzazu church,
named after the first parish founded there. On the coat of arms, the
development of the town is represented by smoking chimneys.
The river and sailboat recall the title of "National Capital of
Watersports" awarded to the town. They were already represented on the
municipal arms.